Electric signal-transmitting switch



Dec. 11, 1928.

D. L. HARRISON ELECTRIC SIGNAL TRANSMITTING swITcH Filed Aug. 7, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet m ,s Tlillr M m J a Mr R 4 M U m. 6 d m A l 1 f W L. .Mw u/K V z 7 v \\4 .Y m7 1@ B wv wf y WE L ,7 6 @n J /1 Dec. l1, 1928.

D. l.. HARRlsoN 1595148 ELECTRIC SIGNAL TRANSMITTING SWITCH Filed Aug'7. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. l1, 1928.

, UNITED STATES PATEN'Iy OFFICE. f

DEWEY L. HARRISON, OF FORT SMITIL'ARiKANSAS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL-TRANSMITTING SWITCH.

Application filed August 7, 1926. Serial No. 127,908.

6 more particularly concerned with a. switchA structure by means ofwhichthe intended signal may be set in operation and kept 1n operationfor a determined period whereupon it automatically is renderedinoperative.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following spectication,reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs, 1n

which Figure 1 isa sectional view of the improved 15 switch. f n

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3 3 of 1.

Figure 4 is a diagram 'of the electrical wirlng, Y

Figure 5 is a side elevation of enough of an automobile illustrating themanner of mountin the switch on the steering'post, n

igure 6 is an elevation of a direction 1ndicator in connection withwhich the switch mzybe used.

ference is made to Figures 1, 2 and which illustrate the switch. Itcomprises any suitable casing 1 which is evident y .subject toconsiderable change in form and material because it cannot readil bedetermined what either of these may ultimately be. In practice thecasing may be mounted in any con,- veniently accessible place, and forthe pur-` pose of illustrating its application to a direction indicatorfor motor vehicles, it is shown mounted upon the steering post 2 (Fig.5) although, obviously, it may be mounted directly upon the steeringwheel.`

Slots 3, 4 and 5 (Fi 1) permit the pro- 'ection ofthe hook-en of switchlevers 6, and 8 which are pivotally mounted at 9 Within the casing andare provided for the purpose of closing individual electrical circuitsand for settlng the timing mechanism of the switch in operation. 4

For-the first purpose each switch lever has a contacter 10, 11 and 12.These must be insulated `from the switch levers, and this is preferablydone by. making the switch levers f rof insulating material. The variouslevers have associated contacts 13, 14; 15, 16; 17,18 (Fig. 3), thefirst one of each pairy being shorter than the other. The longer contactmay remain in engagement with the leverv contacts 10, etc. and it is notuntil the lever yis moved down that engagement is made with both andanelectrical circuitclosed. The various contacts 13, 14, etc. are mountedupon an insulating strip 19 which also has slots 20 for the passage ofthe levers.

For the second purpose the switch levers yare joined by a connecting bar21 having slots 22 receiving pins 23 of the levers. The bar has a notch24 receiving ythe end of a springtrigger 25. This trigger is mounted at26 upon the casing. It has a lug 27 entering a notch 28 in a disk 29.This disk is capable of being turned by any suitable spring clockwork,the illustration of which has been confined to the showing of a springbarrel 30 and suitable intermediate gearing 31, but which may be of anysuitable standard form with suitable means for rewinding the spring suchas the usual hand winding spindle with pawl and ratchet control.Depression of a switch lever will disengage the lug 27 permittingrotation of the disk 29 and keeping one of the three circuits involvedclosed until the notch 28 comes around into the original positionwhereupon the trigger 25 restores the depressed switch lever and opensthe circuit.

Reference is now made to Figures 5 and 6. yIn Figure 6 the signallingdevice illustrated comprises the legend 31 reading Stop and the legends32 and 33 which read Turm but being associated with left and right aring36 is preferably of green color. The casf ing 36 includes a bracket 39by which the device is mounted upon a motor vehicle, for example therear left fender.

The electrical Wiring isillustrated in Figure 4. Signalling devices inthe form of lamps 40, 41 and 42` provide for the illumination of thevarious `legends 31, 32 and 33.r A battery B is the source of electriccurrent. A wire 43 from one pole of the battery has branches 44, 45 and46 to the various contacts 14 and 18. The complementary contacts 13, 15and 17 have wires 47, 48 and 49 running to one side of the respectivelamps 42, 40 vand 41. The other sides of these lamps rare connected withthe other poleof the batbeing; illustrative et' one manner ot moua teryby a Wire 50. The lamp 5l behind the g'reen glass 38 vvi l receive curent over an in dependent circuit (not shown).

Thev operation readily understood. lt has been explained that the switchcasingl l may be mounted inanv convenient position, the showing et themounting` oi ie casing` upon the steering post in l me? lv ,rare

lt will be evidentv bv a comparison ot Figures l and l that tlrespective switch levers- 6 7 and S a re iden d with the ',rht turn,stop and lettturn sig als which the device is capable oi `giving.

Assume that the driver desires to ii'rdicate a right turn. He gives thehook-end of the switch lever G 4) a downward blow. Tliis'roclrsthcswitch lever on its pivotand depresses the connectingr bar 2l. The otherlevers are not disturbed by virtue of the slot connections. rEhedownward blonv is transferred to the spring ti"k r the connection ot oneend of the trig'cer with the notch 24 being noted.

Disenga nent 2S in the d e ollovvs. l work sets the diqlr 2) in ra, c,kn, and the lug frides upon the pcripheij at' the disk hold# ing' boththe connecting' barZl and the switch lever G in the eprcsscd pc i Theengagei ent ot the f acts 'i3' and 'let by the contact l0 upon theforegoing depression ot' the switch lever (E lights the lar-ip 42 (Fig.il) and indicates the desired right turn, the circuit being as follows:battery B, Wires Liland fili, contacts lei, l0 and 13, Wire il', lamp.12 aA l ivi 50 biel-. to the battery. As soonas the notch 2S r Vrns toregistering position. in respect to lug 2T the latter drops in by virtueof the tension of the spring' trigger Q5, raising the connecting: ba' land e spring cloclzrestoringthe switch lever 6 to the original posititherebyY automaticallj,v opening the toregonrej` circuit. The clockworkgearing mayv obviousli7 be ol' Ainv desired ratio so that the foregoingtiming aii'orded bj: the disl Q9 may be of aniv duration. The depressionof the sivitch levers is manual, but the inaintenanee et the signal inoperation automaticA as is also the opening ot the signal circuit. To anexample, the rearing may besuch that the lamp vill remain lightedapproximatel oO seconds, this evi-dent being' the time iccuired ier acomplete revolution of' the diL An operation similar to the one desclJed ilollo'ws the deprsion ot either of the remaining switch levers 7an" llfhile the construction a arrangement ot the improved switch thatot' a genera.ll \v preferred forni. obvion Lv modilicatirnis andchangesmav he made without departing' from the spiritoi' the inventionor the scopeiot the claims. y

QbviOuslv, the construction ot the switch is independent of theparticular signalling s vstem and either one or a pluralft)- ot switchlevers may be solectivelgv and sinn'xltaneou l operated.

nt o t the to circuit closing position and effective to hold the leverthus for a predetermined period and then move the lever to circuitbroken position.

2. In an electric signal transmitting switch, an electrical circuitincluding a pair of spaced cont ets, a switch lever movable to and fromcircuit closingr positions between and in cnff( gement with thecontacts. means including a motor driven control d set in motion bymovement of the lever to the circuit closing position and a diskengaging, lever-connected member 'tor holding the lever thus and thecircuit closed for a predetermined period, said member being operativeat the expiration of said period to reverselv mo ve the lever tronicircuit closing position and to arrest movement of the disk. v

3. An electric switch comprising a plurality of independently opera leswitch levers, each having associated therewith a pair of spacedcontacts and means including a motor driven rotatable control member anda connection therefrom common to said pl uralitl,Y of levers for holdingselected levers stationary in circuit closing position between saidspaced contacts `tor a predetermined period, and for thereafterautomatically moving said lever to open the circuit and arrestingrotation oit said control member.

4;. An electric switch comprising a plurality of independentli1 operableswitch levers with each lever having associated therewith a pair olspaced contacts in an electrical circuit between and in engagement withivhieh it is movable, power driven rotatable element having a peripheraldepression, a springr pressed trigger havingl a lug normally tending tooccupy1 the depression and arrest rotation oit said element and ridingon the peripher)V of id element ivhen the latter is released androtates, and a mot-ion transmitting member common to said pluralityv otlevers and connecting said levers with said trigger to displace its lu;rfrom said depresn upon manualhv effected movement of a selected lever tocircuit closing position, therebv permitting said rotatable elementthrough the tri weer and its connected motiontransmittingr member tohold the selected lever stationary in circuit closing position until thelug again enters the depression, the trigger then through its springacting through theV motion transmitting,r member w t is:

automatically and reversely to move the lever to open circuit position.n

5. A switch comprising a plurality of independently operable levers, adisk having a 5 depression, means to rotate the disk, a. spring triggerhaving a lug seated in the depression preventing rotation ra motiontransmitting bar common to and having pin and slot connection with eachof the levers ermitting 10 movement of selected levers to a circuitclosing osition Without disturbing the others, said ar having a notchtherein to receive the trigger and operatin when moved by circuitclosing movement o a selected lever to displace the lug and permitrotation of the disk, said lug riding on the periphery of the disk tohold said bar with said lever stationary in the circuit closing positionuntil registration of the depression With the lug.

DEWEY L. HARRISON.

